1. Judging by appearances Aim: To investigate what it means to ‘judge by appearances’ To explore how we judge one another

2. When Susan Boyle first walked onto the stage of ‘Britain’s got talent’ everyone laughed! At first they thought ‘this is a joke! She won’t have ANY talent!’ and then she sang…….

3. Everyone was shocked at how talented she actually was! They had made a pre-judgement. They had thought that because of the way she looked there was no way she would have such a beautiful voice.

4. Have you ever looked at someone and thought that they weren’t any ‘good’ because of their appearance? Discuss for 2 minutes with the person sat next to you.

5. The Punk and the Kit-Kat She always went out shopping on a Thursday, and this Thursday was no exception. Now that she and Bert had retired she did most of her shopping at the local stores. But once a week she would go to town, as much as to look as to buy.

6. Usually she enjoyed her Thursday’s…but not at this time of year, not with the huge crowds all rushing for last minute Christmas presents.

7. When she got to Barry’s café, she couldn’t believe how busy it was. She took her place at the end of the long line and edged her way along slowly until she got to the tea and coffee machines.

8. She picked up her cup of tea and chose, as always, a Kit-Kat from the small wicker basket by the till. As she counted out her money she scoured the whole place for a seat. There was one and only place…..

9. She almost thought of standing up, except for the fact that it had been such a busy and tiring day. So she decided that she would sit down opposite a ‘thing’ (for that was all she could describe him as) dressed from head to toe in leather.

10. “I’m not going to let some young thug dictate where I should or should not sit” she thought to herself “I’m going to sit here whether he likes it or not!” And so slowly she took her place, put her shopping bag on the floor and edged her foot securely between the handles of the bag.

11. As she took a sip of her tea, she glanced up. He had a chain from his nose to his ear, studs everywhere and a haircut that she thought looked like a toilet brush!

12. “What has become of young people!” she whispered, just loudly enough that he might hear. She took another sip of her tea, reached out for the Kit-Kat and began to eat the first finger.

13. A few moments went by and then, much to her amazement, the thug lent across and took the second finger of the chocolate bar and began to eat it! She couldn’t believe it! She looked around to see if anyone else had noticed, but no-one even looked up.

14. She didn’t know whether to shout, to leave or just to ignore it. But it had been a long tiring day, she had had enough! She wasn’t going to let some ‘punk’ bully her!

15. And so she took the third finger of the chocolate bar, held it aloft like a trophy and began to eat it. A few more moments passed by and then the young man took the last piece! She couldn’t believe it!

16. The punk stood up and went to the line to get a second cup of tea. She looked at the piece of fruit cake that he had left to eat next. “I’ll show HIM!” she thought! She snatched the cake up and shouted across the crowded café……

17. “Ha! Look at this! You think that you can push an old lady around do you?” Then she shoved almost the whole of the cake into her mouth!! She picked up her bag, stormed past the young man and triumphantly left the café. *!*?!!**!

18. All the way home on the bus she thought of her bravery, of how she had stood up to this young bully. When she got home, she lifted her shopping bag onto the table and began to tell Bert everything that had happened.

19. As she unpacked she described in the greatest of detail the events of the day and how this cheeky young thug had stolen her chocolate. When she finished the story and finished unpacking she looked down into her bag…..

20. ….and there…at the bottom of the bag…lying next to her purse…was the Kit- Kat she had bought!

21. 1)What happened in the story? 2)What judgements about the young man did the woman make? Why do you think she was so quick to judge him? 3)What was the young man actually like? (Remember, she had eaten half of HIS Kit-Kat, his fruit cake and shouted at him across the café)

22. Plenary “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature for the Lord does not see as mortals see. They look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks upon his heart” What do you think this Bible quote means? How is it connected to what we have looked at in today’s lesson?